XP Pro upgrade install on new HDD

[BigRed CC Dually]

Ok here is what I would like to do. I have a original version of Win 98, and a new version of XP Pro I just bought.

I am getting ready to assemble a new system, (listed in my sig) that has a new WD SATA II 250Gb HDD. Can I install the XP Pro on the HDD by doing a normal install of XP but inserting the 98 CD when the XP Pro upgrade asks for a previous version of Windows? Also which CD software key do I use? the 98 key or the XP Pro upgrade Key, or both? I suspect/think I should use the new XP Pro upgrade key only correct?

With the new/unused HDD being a SATA II and 250Gb I do not have to do anything else to it do I? The motherboard is an ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe with native SATA (I believe). When do I install the motherboard drivers, after the OS install or before? I do realize I install the video drivers after the OS is installed.

Full system specs in case they are needed.

Cool master Centurion 532 case
Seasonic S12-600watt power supply
ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard
AMD Athlon 4000+ San Diego processor
Corsair Twinx2048-3200c2pt memory (1Gb x 2 set)
WD 250Gb SATA II hard drive
BFG 7800GTX PCI-E x 16 video card
Lite-on DVD burner optical drive
MS keyboard and optical mouse (both PS/2)
ViewSonic P95f+ CRT monitor.

Thanks in advance for your replies and help.

I guess I could have posted this in the new build section but this seems more Windows operating system related so that is why I put it here.

[ktkendall]

You should be fine to do clan install of XP without first installing win98 and just inserting the win98 disk when XP asks for it to authenticate, and yes you'll use the WinXP key. The big difference I noticed is that win98 made you put the key in right near the start before it installed itself, and XP waits till the end to ask you to input the cd key..

[BigRed CC Dually]

Thanks ktkendall,

Any ideas on when to use the motherboard CD drivers, after the XP Pro install, or before? I can't activate the XP install without the on board LAN working. I could call it in I suppose but would prefer to do it automatically. Does XP give me some time to do the other stuff before it has to be activated?

[ktkendall]

It's impossible to install the motherboard drivers before you install XP cause there would be nowhere to install them to, and yes you get 30 days to activate XP.

[BigRed CC Dually]

Got it

Thanks so much for you help.

[ktkendall]

You'll need those sata drivers on floppy disk though for when the windows installation tells you to press F6 to load any additional drivers, thats when you put the floppy in so the sata drive can be recognized by the windows installation program.. Usually the manual that came with the motherboard has instructions on how to get those drivers loaded onto floppy disk

[BigRed CC Dually]

I hope not...I have no FDD, and the mobo should be SATA native...at any rate couldn't I use the mobo CD to install the drivers if need be? If worse comes to worse a FDD is pretty cheap, just another hassle to go get. I thought the F6 was for raid etc. This will be the only HDD.

[ktkendall]

We'll I'm pretty sure about this but could be wrong since I have yet to do it for myself but I think SATA comes under etc.. You know over there where it says raid etc... You can not install drivers from the mobo CD without windows because there is nowhere to install them to, since they are windows drivers, and as far as I know when booting from the XP cdrom and you press F6 to install any 3rd party drivers the only place it knows to look is floppy drive. Hopefully someone else who has a bit more experience on this will add to this one and let you know for sure if you must have a floppy drive to install as you are with a sata drive as the only HDD.

[BigRed CC Dually]

I'm formatting the SATA II HDD as I type this, it was recognized in the BIOS....man it takes a long time to format a new 250Gb drive. I just listed the optical as the boot drive and inserted the XP Pro upgrade disk....so far so good. (fingers crossed)

[ktkendall]

Great, I am pretty sure I read here about having to do the F6 thing to install sata drivers, but perhaps that was back when it first came out, and may have changed now with newer sata equipped boards.